Erath by Boot

Flood waters can't dampen the spirits of Erath's own.

DL snuck out the back door

Times of Acadiana reports that D.L. Menard is doing fine.

Hurricane Rita couldn't stop D.L. Menard. Erath's most famous resident, whose face is on the town mural, waited out the storm in Scott. Despite water in his house, Menard was in his usual good spirits the Monday afterwards.

Parish by parish summary

HoustonChronicle.com - NEWS FROM LOUISIANA

Governor decries 'red tape' in visit of towns hit by Rita

More on Blanco's visit

The Federal Emergency Management Agency was not a topic of polite conversation among local officials.

"My new four-letter word is FEMA," said state Sen. Nick Gautreaux, D-Abbeville, who was traveling with the governor.

Iberia Parish President Will Langlinais said the federal agency had initially not granted a disaster designation for Iberia Parish, where hundreds of homes were flooded, and instead declared a disaster in Iberville Parish, which suffered minimal damage.

"FEMA had us confused with Iberville Parish," said a clearly exasperated Langlinais. "It shouldn't take this long to respond to people in need."

"We need help"

Governor Blanco visits Erath.

LeBlanc and other Erath residents were frustrated by not having Federal Emergency Management Agency officials in town and only a small presence from the American Red Cross. National Guard soldiers dropped food, water and ice in the town, but mostly local volunteers distributed it.

"Man bites hurricane"

Michael Graham at "Jewish World Review" writes of differences between Katrina and Rita aftermath, and between folks in SE Louisiana and those in SW. Not sure I would agree entirely, but there are some striking differences in the ways people have responded.

Other comments on the piece here.

TownOnline.com - Marshfield Mariner - Arts & Lifestyle

Winslow House symposium tells Acadians' story

The Province of Massachusetts Bay led the charge to remove the Acadians from what was now known as Nova Scotia (New Scotland) in 1755.

The Patriot Ledger at SouthofBoston.com

Exiled: 250 years after Acadian 'derangement'; Symposium to explore 1755 deportation.

Winslow remains a controversial figure. Schmidt says his diaries suggest that he didn't relish the project, and did what he could to keep families and hamlets on the same ships, despite frenzied boarding.

Faragher sees a different man in the journal entries - an ambitious officer who wanted to impress the British high command in London, in hopes of securing a prestigious wartime appointment. He says Winslow also acted as an informal real-estate broker for land-hungry Yankees.

‘‘He does express some discomfort, but he was enthusiastic about that assignment,'' Faragher said. ‘‘He was one of the perpetrators.''

Expulsion of Acadians examined - The Boston Globe

Expulsion of Acadians examined - General Winslow played key role.

In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the expulsion of the French Acadians from Nova Scotia, the Isaac Winslow House, at 634 Careswell St., Marshfield, is hosting a daylong symposium Saturday titled ''Beyond Longfellow's epic poem Evangeline: The Acadian Odyssey and the Role of New England." Eight historians who have studied various aspects of the Acadians and their expulsion will take part in the symposium.

Damage at Erath Acadian Museum

2theadvocate.com: News - Vermilion mops up after flooding 09/29/05:

A block over at the Acadian Museum, founder Warren Perrin pulled out stacks of Cajun history books, maps and stacks of files with names like 'Truman Visits Abbeville Photographs,' 'Vermilion Parish Railroads,' and 'Thibodeaux Family Genealogy.'

All were stacked in a heap behind the museum, destined for the trash. Perrin said everything within 15 inches of the floor was soaked.

'They weren't letting anyone in on Sunday, but we managed to get in with the help of the Marines,' Perrin said. 'They gave us an hour. We got a truckload of the rarest items.'
Perrin said he trudged through about 6 inches of mud and grabbed most of the Acadian textiles held by the museum 'and as many of the original maps that we could carry.'

Above the floods: Avery Island

On salt dome "island," Tabasco plant was safe from Rita's floods.

"Where Bayou towns stood, only Bayou remains"

"Rita scraped away entire towns as it made its way across the region."

More pictures

Hurricane Rita Images

"Total devastation"

Erath Residents Visit Damaged Homes.

In Rita's Path

In Rita's Path -- photos at LA Times.

Photo

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Erath.

Hurricane photos from SW Louisiana

Hurricane photos from throughout SW Louisiana.

A watery search in Cajun country

Worldandnation: A watery search in Cajun country

'Whole communities are gone' in Louisiana

'Whole communities are gone' in Louisiana--including mention of Erath.

Townspeople survive - but not the towns

Townspeople survive - but not the towns

Rebuilding after Rita

Globe and Mail on the commitment to rebuild in SW Louisiana. One feature, Holly Beach (the "Cajun Riviera") has been wiped out: "Holly Beach is no longer there. The only structure left there is the water tower. Holly Beach is now just a sand flat."

NOAHLEANS.com

NOAHleans.com -- New Orleans And Houston (NOAH) Employment and Relocation Aid for Musicians Displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Zachary Richard on Katrina

Zachary Richard - Monthly Report - 2005, on devastation caused by Katrina.

Mud invades homes in Delcambre, Erath

Mud invades homes in Delcambre, Erath. Erath was the location of the LeBlanc Reunion during the 1999 Congres Mondial Acadien.

"Washing away the Cajun culture"?

Newsday.com: Washing away the Cajun culture. Too pessimistic. If Acadians survived Le Grand Derangement, those in Louisiana will survive a hurricane. This is hardly the first.